Queen Creek Unified District (4245)

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Queen Creek, Arizona - 15 schools

An equity score of 17/100 ranks Queen Creek Unified District (4245) #388 of 437 districts in Arizona (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $8,699 per pupil, Queen Creek Unified District (4245) ranks #523 of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

13,818
Total Enrollment
15
Schools
$8,699
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) operates 15 public schools serving 13,818 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 12 combined, 2 middle, 1 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Maricopa County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $8,699 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 634 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 30.3% local, 62.2% state, and 7.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 17/100, ranked #388 of 437 in Arizona against a state average of 38, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 15 schools offering Advanced Placement (21 AP courses district-wide), a 756.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 31.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.7% White, 25.3% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Jack Barnes Elementary School, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.

Its largest campus is Crismon High School, enrolling 2,009 students (13% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Newell Barney Junior High, at 129 students, a 16x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) school enrollment varies 16× across entities

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) school enrollment ranges from 129 students (lowest) to 2,009 students (highest), a spread of 1,880 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) student-counselor ratio is 756:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) chronic absenteeism rate is 31.8% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.5%
Federal
62.2%
State
30.3%
Local

Funding Equity

17
Equity Score
388 / 437
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 15 schools in Queen Creek Unified District (4245).

White 62.7%
Hispanic or Latino 25.3%
African American 3.1%
Asian 2.3%
Multiracial 5.7%
Other 1.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 53.6/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Queen Creek Unified District (4245)'s schools, above the Arizona average of 47.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Jack Barnes Elementary School 58.3
  2. 2 Eastmark High School 57.5
  3. 3 Queen Creek High School 56.5
  4. 4 Frances Brandon-Pickett Elementary 55.8
  5. 5 Crismon High School 54.8

Programs & Resources

2 / 15
Schools with AP
21 AP courses total
756.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Queen Creek Unified District (4245)

School Enrollment
Crismon High School
2,009
Queen Creek High School
1,968
Eastmark High School
1,889
Silver Valley Elementary
1,384
Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary School
1,153
Schnepf Elementary School
1,044
Gateway Polytechnic Academy
1,003
Katherine Mecham Barney Elementary
908
Queen Creek Elementary School
711
Desert Mountain Elementary
682
Queen Creek Junior High School
657
Frances Brandon-Pickett Elementary
642
Jack Barnes Elementary School
621
Queen Creek Virtual Academy
265
Newell Barney Junior High
129

How Queen Creek Unified District (4245) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Tolleson Union High School District (4288) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Cartwright Elementary District (4282) Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Kyrene Elementary District (4267) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Vail Unified District (4413) Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Sunnyside Unified District (4407) Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Queen Creek Unified District (4245)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Arizona

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Compare Queen Creek Unified District (4245)

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Mesa Unified District (4235) →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Queen Creek Unified District (4245)?

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) has 15 schools, including 12 combined, 1 high, 2 middle. Total enrollment is 13,818 students.

How much does Queen Creek Unified District (4245) spend per student?

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) spends $8,699 per student. The district has an equity score of 17/100, ranking #388 in Arizona.

What is the demographic composition of Queen Creek Unified District (4245)?

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) students are 62.7% White, 25.3% Hispanic or Latino, 3.1% African American, 2.3% Asian, averaged across 15 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Queen Creek Unified District (4245)?

Queen Creek Unified District (4245) has an equity score of 17/100, ranking #388 out of 437 districts in Arizona.